Improvement in gage-cocks



UNITED, STATES PATENT OEEIOE.

JOHN .I.ITONHIN, on RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, AssIcfNoHOr` ONEHALF HIs HIGHTTO JOHN N. vAN LEW, or SAME PLACE.

|MPROVEMENT `IN GAGE-OOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 205,152, dated June 18, 1878; application filed May 6, 1878.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN J. TONKIN, of Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented a new and Improved Gage-Cock for Steam-Boilers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in Which- Figure 1 is an end view of a horizontal boiler with a portion of the shell broken out to show the water-line. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the device, showing its opened position; Fig. 3, a similar view, showing its closed position.

My invention relates to an improved gagecock for determining the water-level in steamboilers. Ordinarily several cocks are employed for this purpose, arranged at different levels, and the height of the water in the boiler is determined by the issuing of steam or water, as the case might be, from these several cocks when successively tried. Among the efforts to dispense with the multiplicity of these cocks is a single axially-turning tube having a rightangular branch, which, when the tube is turned axially, moves laterally, and dips from the steam-space into-the water-space, the wa` ter-level being indicated by the degree of deilection. In this case, however, an independent valve was arranged to be opened by independent devices, to permit the water or steam to issue.

My invention is an improvement upon this form Of gage-cock and it consists in constructing the axial portion of the cock in such form that it shall fulll itself the function of a valve by longitudinal movement, so that, in trying the water-level, all that is necessary is to grasp the handle of the tube and force it longitudinally in, and then turn the tube axially until its right-angular arm'shall dip into the water, the pressure of the steam within serving to force back the tube and 'seat its Vvalve upon the valve-seat, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawing, A represents the hollow screw-plug, which is fitted into the boiler, and is provided with a vent-nozzle, a, communicating with its interior chamber. stem, of less diameter than the chamber of the hollow plug, bearing upon the outside of said plug a hand-wheel having anindeX-finger to indicate upon a graduated arc the degree of deflection. Said stem B has upon its opposite end a boss or valve, C, fitting in :an enlarged valve-chamber of the plug, the face b of' which valve is adapted to iit against the valve-seat c. About the periphery of the valve C is an annular depression, d, into which holes e lead from the center of the valve which communicates with the rightangular tube D, screwed into said valve.

Now, the stem being adjusted for a slight play of the valve upon its seat, it will be seen that as soon as the stem is pressed longitudinally inwardly, as in Fig. 2, by force applied to the hand-wheel, the valve leaves its seat, and communication is opened from the interior of the boiler through the right-angular tube D, holes e, the valve-chamber, and annular space about the stem in the screw-plug, giving free escape to the steam at the nozzle. Now, as the hand-wheel, stem, and tube are turned axially, it will be seen that after the right-angular tube leaves the steam-space and dips into the water the steam will cease to issue at the nozzle, and in the place of the sanne the water Will commence to be discharged, its level being indicatedby the degree of deflection.

When the hand-pressure upon the wheel is relieved the steam-pressure inside automatically seats the valve again and cuts off thedis-f/m,

charge.

Vhen the hand-wheel is forced in to try the water and open communication with the interior of the boiler a gum ring, j', on the stem or spindle Iits against the end of the screwplug, and forms a steam-tight joint to prevent the steam from escaping at the point and burning the ngers. A stuffing-box maya-lso be employed in the outer end of the screw-plug for the same purpose.

In addition to the merits of my invention already set forth, the valve-pipe and connections may be enlarged to make a good surfaceblower for blowing off the impurities from the surface of the water in marine and other engines, to which point the impuritiesv are lifted B is an axial bythe boiling action. The difficulty With ordinary fixed blowb cocks is that they can only be used at times when the Water is at a certain level. My device, it will be seen, can be made to follovvl the level of the water and blow off as long as necessary.

The device may be also used to advantage as an air-cock, for determining Where the airline is in pumps employing an air-chamber.

In pointing out more clearly the distinctions between my invention and the general class upon Which it is an improvementI would state' that the chief distinctive feature of my invention rests in attaching the tube Ddirectly and rigidly to the valve and valve-stem, in contradistinction to attaching it to an axially-moving sleeve encompassing the valve-stem and operating the latter independently, as heretoforeacconiplished. My invention, it will be seen, is a decided improvement in that it re- JOHN J. TONKIN.

Witnesses:

HARVEY WILLsoN, H. D. BOUCHER. 

